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10 CHRISTCHURCH MAIL, APRIL 28, 2016 stuff.co.nz Man kneedwhere it hurts by surgeon GOLDENRULES ROB STOCK rob.stock@fairfaxmedia.co.nz Money talks T he surgeon’s sharpening his scalpel for me. The bit that’s going under the knife ismydodgy left knee. I don’t tell you this because I think you are interested inmy creaking joints. It’s because it has gotme thinking about health insurance ‘‘bill shock’’ again. Bill shock is the emotion felt when you realise justhow much of the treatment bill youwill end up paying. It is a horror quite distinct from ‘‘annual premium shock’’, the emotion felt by older people as they find what their next year’s premium rises will be. But your first big health insurance claim can be sobering. Whenever you make an insurance claim, you end up out of pocket. Usually, it’s because you have to pay an excess. Those, likeme, with ‘‘shared cover’’ health policies from Southern Cross, however, pay a percentage of their total cost of treatment, inmycase 20 per cent. So, while surgery will relieve ❚ Beware health insurancebill shocks ❚ Informed medical consent (including costs) is your right ❚ Save and reducedebt. meof discomfort, it will also relieveme of more than a thousand dollars. I’m not grumbling. I ama realist. I have health insurance because I want to avoid having to join the more than 110,000 waiting and waiting for an operation they need now.And having been through the whole thing before (other knee), I knowhow the system works. Bill shocks come in different sizes. If you need a big operation, your share can be thousands. And, if you are sent to an expensive surgeon, it can be bigger than it needs to be. Southern Cross sentme a list of the lower and upper end of treatment costs for different surgeries. Here are a few examples: ❚ Hip replacement: $19,600-$27,900. ❚ Cataract removal: $2700-$4600. ❚ Knee arthroscopy (the one I face): $4100-$6800. Clearly, the 20 per cent gap is bigger for a surgeon charging top dollar. SLEEPMAKER ADJUSTABLE BEDS Health insurers pay out over $1 billion a year in health claims, but the actual cost of treatment is higher because policyholders have to pay a portion of the bills for their procedures. Minimising the gap is your right as a patient. You are entitled to be treated by a surgeon that charges a reasonable fee. YourGP has a legal duty to help you make an informed decision about your RESIDUE TESTING NZ Meth Testing Christchurch Property/Vehicle Meth Testing Results available within hours Adjustable bed includes: Sleepmaker electric adjustable frame with a Sleepmaker Ashley Medium pocket spring mattress. King Single NOW $2099 Queen NOW $2899 Super King NOW $4198 SAVE up to $1098 Free Phone 0800 00 3636 www.methtest.co.nz Neighbourly Mon-Fri 9-5.30pm • Sat-Sun 10-4pm 242 FERRY RD, ALONG FROM OLD AMI STADIUM PHONE 377 8887 | www.bedworld.co.nz 1,800 neighbourhoods across New Zealand are using Neighbourly Join Neighbourly today and meet your neighbours Can anyone recommend a great cleaner? Take care - flooding on Main Street! Street BBQ next week - all invited. www.neighbourly.co.nz Join your neighbours now From residential kitchens, vanities and laundries to commercial counter tops and displays, with Kymira’s extensive colour range and limitless design possibilities, the choices are endless. Create a stunning modern look anywhere with soft, flowing, seamless bench tops in any size and shape. Beautiful to look at, warm to touch, easy to clean, repairable and affordable! Come in and see us at our showroom or talk to your local kitchen manufacturer about Kymira today! treatment, including the cost. Southern Cross has been building an ‘‘affiliated provider’’ list of surgeons contracted to work for set fees. It is your right to ask about going to one of those. I hope no well-paid GPs scoff at this column, because it matters. Afriend ofmine has just had a family member go through an operation. The family experienced a big health insurance bill shock as a result of being sent to an expensive surgeon. It cost the family so much, an operation he needs himself is now going to have to wait. There aremany reasons to PHOTO: SHUBHANGI KENE/123RF save money and to pay off debt but, inmy book, the main ones are family stability and meeting health costs. For manyhealth insurance policyholders, paying the monthly premiums is only part of the picture. Prioritising saving, and paying off debt, means they will be better placed to pay their share of health treatment costs. KITCHEN TOPS You are entitled to be treated by a surgeon that charges a reasonable fee. SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE UP TO 34% Brought to you by 464 St Asaph Street, Christchurch | Phone: (03) 381 4464 Email: info@kymira.co.nz Open: Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 12noon 7192320AH 7227762AB 7192142AB